Configuration of the initial active bandwidth part for initial network access

Abstract

Methods and devices for configuring an initial active downlink bandwidth part as part of an initial access procedure are provided. In one provided method, a base station broadcasts a synchronization signal block (SSB) that includes a control resource set CORESET) configuration index. The CORESET configuration index is one of a plurality of CORESET configuration indexes, each CORESET configuration index being associated with a respective configuration of a CORESET. Each configuration includes a CORESET frequency size, a CORESET time duration, and a frequency offset of the CORESET with respect to the SSB selected from a set of predefined frequency offsets. The initial active downlink bandwidth part is defined as having the same frequency location and bandwidth as the CORESET. The base station transmits, as part of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within the CORESET, information indicating scheduling of remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a physical downlink shared channel (POSCH).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for a base station in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 broadcasting, as part of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a control resource set (CORESET) configuration index, the CORESET configuration index being one of a plurality of CORESET configuration indexes, each CORESET configuration index being associated with a respective configuration of a CORESET, each configuration comprising: a CORESET frequency size, a CORESET time duration, and a frequency offset of the CORESET with respect to the SSB, the frequency offset selected from a set of predefined frequency offsets, the set of predefined frequency offsets comprising at least one of:
 a first frequency offset wherein a lowest physical resource block (PRB) of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a lowest PRB of the SSB, 
 a second frequency offset wherein a highest PRB of the CORESET is a lowest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or after a subcarrier 0 of a highest PRB of the SSB, 
 a third frequency offset wherein a center PRB of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a center PRB of the SSB, 
 a fourth frequency offset wherein the highest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the lowest PRB of the SSB by a first guard, the first guard comprising at least G 1  PRBs having a subcarrier spacing for a remaining minimum system information (RMSI) transmission, where G 1  is an integer >0, or 
 a fifth frequency offset wherein the lowest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the highest PRB of the SSB by a second guard, the second guard comprising at least G 2  PRBs having the subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission, where G 2  is an integer >0. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a value of the frequency offset is a number PRBs of a PRB grid, the PRB grid having a subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on a subcarrier spacing of the CORESET. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on an operating frequency range of the wireless communication network. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CORESET configuration index is for indicating a first CORESET sub-configuration, the method further comprising:
 broadcasting, as part of the SSB, a second CORESET configuration index, the second CORESET configuration index for indicating a second CORESET sub-configuration, each second sub-configuration comprising a time configuration of the CORESET. 
 
     
     
       6. A method for an electronic device (ED) in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 receiving, as part of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a control resource set (CORESET) configuration index, the CORESET configuration index being one of a plurality of CORESET configuration indexes, each CORESET configuration index being associated with a respective configuration of a CORESET, each configuration comprising: a CORESET frequency size, a CORESET time duration, and a frequency offset of the CORESET with respect to the SSB, the frequency offset selected from a set of predefined frequency offsets, the set of predefined frequency offsets comprising at least one of:
 a first frequency offset wherein a lowest physical resource block (PRB) of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a lowest PRB of the SSB, 
 a second frequency offset wherein a highest PRB of the CORESET is a lowest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or after a subcarrier 0 of a highest PRB of the SSB, 
 a third frequency offset wherein a center PRB of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a center PRB of the SSB, 
 a fourth frequency offset wherein the highest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the lowest PRB of the SSB by a first guard, the first guard comprising at least G 1  PRBs having a subcarrier spacing for a remaining minimum system information (RMSI) transmission, where G 1  is an integer >0, or 
 a fifth frequency offset wherein the lowest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the highest PRB of the SSB by a second guard, the second guard comprising at least G 2  PRBs having the subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission, where G 2  is an integer >0; and 
 
 configuring, in accordance with the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index, an initial active downlink bandwidth part for receiving downlink transmissions from the wireless communication network. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein a value of the frequency offset is a number PRBs of a PRB grid, the PRB grid having a subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on a subcarrier spacing of the CORESET. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on an operating frequency range of the wireless communication network. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the CORESET configuration index is for indicating a first CORESET sub-configuration, the method further comprising:
 receiving, as part of the SSB, a second CORESET configuration index, the second CORESET configuration index for indicating a second CORESET sub-configuration, each second sub-configuration comprising a time configuration of the CORESET. 
 
     
     
       11. A base station in a wireless communication network, the base station comprising:
 a memory storage comprising instructions; and 
 one or more processors in communication with the memory storage, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
 broadcast, as part of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a control resource set (CORESET) configuration index, the CORESET configuration index being one of a plurality of CORESET configuration indexes, each CORESET configuration index being associated with a respective configuration of a CORESET, each configuration comprising: a CORESET frequency size, a CORESET time duration, and a frequency offset of the CORESET with respect to the SSB, the frequency offset selected from a set of predefined frequency offsets, the set of predefined frequency offsets comprising at least one of:
 a first frequency offset wherein a lowest physical resource block (PRB) of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a lowest PRB of the SSB, 
 a second frequency offset wherein a highest PRB of the CORESET is a lowest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or after a subcarrier 0 of a highest PRB of the SSB, 
 a third frequency offset wherein a center PRB of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a center PRB of the SSB, 
 a fourth frequency offset wherein the highest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the lowest PRB of the SSB by a first guard, the first guard comprising at least G 1  PRBs having a subcarrier spacing for a remaining minimum system information (RMSI) transmission, where G 1  is an integer >0, or 
 a fifth frequency offset wherein the lowest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the highest PRB of the SSB by a second guard, the second guard comprising at least G 2  PRBs having the subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission, where G 2  is an integer >0. 
 
 
 
     
     
       12. The base station of  claim 11 , wherein a value of the frequency offset is a number PRBs of a PRB grid, the PRB grid having a subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission. 
     
     
       13. The base station of  claim 11 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on a subcarrier spacing of the CORESET. 
     
     
       14. The base station of  claim 11 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on an operating frequency range of the wireless communication network. 
     
     
       15. The base station of  claim 11 , wherein the CORESET configuration index is for indicating a first CORESET sub-configuration, and the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:
 broadcast, as part of the SSB, a second CORESET configuration index, the second CORESET configuration index for indicating a second CORESET sub-configuration, each second sub-configuration comprising a time configuration of the CORESET. 
 
     
     
       16. An electronic device (ED) in a wireless communication network, the ED comprising:
 a memory storage comprising instructions; and 
 one or more processors in communication with the memory storage, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
 receive, as part of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a control resource set (CORESET) configuration index, the CORESET configuration index being one of a plurality of CORESET configuration indexes, each CORESET configuration index being associated with a respective configuration of a CORESET, each configuration comprising: a CORESET frequency size, a CORESET time duration, and a frequency offset of the CORESET with respect to the SSB, the frequency offset selected from a set of predefined frequency offsets, the set of predefined frequency offsets comprising at least one of:
 a first frequency offset wherein a lowest physical resource block (PRB) of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a lowest PRB of the SSB, 
 a second frequency offset wherein a highest PRB of the CORESET is a lowest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or after a subcarrier 0 of a highest PRB of the SSB, 
 a third frequency offset wherein a center PRB of the CORESET is a highest PRB whose subcarrier 0 lies on or before a subcarrier 0 of a center PRB of the SSB, 
 a fourth frequency offset wherein the highest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the lowest PRB of the SSB by a first guard, the first guard comprising at least G 1  PRBs having a subcarrier spacing for a remaining minimum system information (RMSI) transmission, where G 1  is an integer >0, or 
 a fifth frequency offset wherein the lowest PRB of the CORESET is separated from the highest PRB of the SSB by a second guard, the second guard comprising at least G 2  PRBs having the subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission, where G 2  is an integer >0; and 
 
 configure, in accordance with the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index, an initial active downlink bandwidth part for receiving downlink transmissions from the wireless communication network. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein a value of the frequency offset is a number PRBs of a PRB grid, the PRB grid having a subcarrier spacing for the RMSI transmission. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on a subcarrier spacing of the CORESET. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the CORESET configuration associated with the CORESET configuration index is based on an operating frequency range of the wireless communication network. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the CORESET configuration index is for indicating a first CORESET sub-configuration, and the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:
 receive, as part of the SSB, a second CORESET configuration index, the second CORESET configuration index for indicating a second CORESET sub-configuration, each second sub-configuration comprising a time configuration of the CORESET.